Thursday, August 1, 2013

Alabama Beaches

If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily routines,
Alabama beaches are waiting for you. Grab your sunscreen, beach
towels, and cooler and head south. The laid back, relaxing environment
is just what you need to rejuvenate your soul. Many couples and
families make the journey to Alabama every year to enjoy the much needed
rest and enjoyable activities that beach life has to offer. Gulf
Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan are beach towns in Alabama with
just such activities.

Gulf Shores, located at the southern end of
interstate 59 in Alabama, is known for being a great place for a family
vacation getaway. Its white sandy beaches that seem to go on forever
are a favorite place to play, sit and relax, or go on long walks. Gulf
Shores is a happening place with plenty of souvenir shops, specialty
stores, beachfront restaurants, hotels, and condos all within walking
distance. Be sure to visit the shop with the huge shark opening its
mouth for you to walk into the store. You can rent jet skis, go
parasailing, drive go-carts, and zoom down the waterslide at Waterville,
USA, all in the same day. And just when you need a snack, you can stop
by Hope's Cheesecake shop for a sweet treat. There's always something
fun just waiting to be taken advantage of.

Drive a few miles east
and you will soon be in Orange Beach. A quieter, calmer community,
Orange Beach still has a lot to offer. The white sandy beach continues
to go on forever and condos and hotels are aplenty. Al's Five and Dime
is a favorite shop for picking up those much needed beach toys and a
couple of grocery stores have all you'll need without going anywhere
else. Although everything isn't in walking distance as it is in Gulf
Shores, you can enjoy plenty of walks along the beach. Many of the
condos also offer beach chairs and services that will make your day at
the beach easy and convenient.

Fort Morgan, an old army fort built
in 1812, is also located along the Alabama gulf coast. Just a few
miles west of Gulf Shores, it has a more historical feel. You can relax
and learn a bit of history at the same time. It is also less
commercialized with only a store or gas station here and there. Many
houses that rent for several days or weeks and condos have built up
around the Fort Morgan area. There is also a ferry running several
times a day that will take you across Mobile Bay to Dauphin Island.

There
are a few other "don't miss" attractions around and on the way to
Alabama's beaches. If you are coming from the west on Interstate 10,
you will want to stop by the Battleship Memorial Park. The battleship
U.S.S. Alabama located there is open for touring year round. They also
have an aviation museum, submarine, several old planes and an SR71 spy
plane, and a gift shop. They have a park you can also picnic at and it
makes a great rest stop. If you are coming from the east, a trip
through Pensacola will take you to the National Museum of Naval
Aviation. Home of the Blue Angels, this is one place you will want to
visit. They have tons of planes and an Imax theater. The Riviera
Centre is the largest factory outlet shopping "in the world" and its
located in Foley, Alabama. The Outlet Mall is just minutes to the North
of Gulf Shores and has stores of all types. If you are looking for
something, you will find it there.